You read it right—organic foods may not be better. But what do the consumers think? Do most of them think organic foods are better than conventional ones? Actually, the consumers are nearly divided. In fact, a survey conducted by the Pew Research Center revealed than 55% of Americans believe that organic is better than produce of conventional means, in terms of health. While 41% of them said organic product is neither better nor worse. When it comes to taste, 59% of them said organic and conventionally grown products taste the same.
A trend provided by the USDA revealed that organic products are truly becoming more popular. From fruits, vegetables, to meat, fish, and poultry. In the UK, the Soil Organization’s organic market report for 2021 revealed a 12.6% growth. The market for organic products in the UK is now valued at £2.79B, or around $3.85B.
But here’s the thing, do organic products make a significant difference? Here’s my take.
Keep reading.
(This blog post discusses just the tip of the iceberg. For more on anything organic, visit USDA).
What organically grown really means
Organic farming is becoming more popular. And perhaps, even be the key for a more sustainable way to produce food in the future. This could be especially true in developing regions like in Asia and Africa.
Basically, organic farming is a less expensive way to produce food. This is because there is less consumption of resources, like water. But what truly attracts consumers, particularly those who watches their health closely, is the absence of synthetics. No chemical fertilizers or pesticides. Therefore, the fruit or vegetable is safer, tastes better, and healthier. Or are they?
But lesser use of resources does not mean organic produce is cheaper. Definitely not. Organic fruits and vegetables are more expensive because the yield of organic farming tends to be relatively low. And consumers, even the frequent ones, say the cost of organic food matters. The survey mentioned above revealed 72% of US adults consider cost an important factor.
Further reading: Are There Fruits That Continue To Ripen After Harvest?
Inorganic or conventional farming, on the other hand, involves the use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. This type of farming also has adverse effects environmentally. First, more greenhouse gas is emitted that contributes to global warming. Second, the byproducts of the use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides contributes to water pollution. And lastly, it eventually causes soil erosion. These are why more environment-loving people push for organic farming.
Is the produce actually by organic farming?
Sure, natural foods like fruits and vegetables can include organic foods. But remember that not all of these natural foods are organic. How do you tell?
The demand for organic produce is continuously growing, so is food fraud. How do you tell if you are buying fruit or vegetable produced by organic farming? In the US, the USDA’s National Organic Program (NOP) has a set of rules and regulations that certify foods to be organic, also referred to as USDA-certified organic. These rules and regulations cover the standards in production, handling, labeling, and enforcement. How strict are they? One requirement is that the land must have had no exposure to prohibited substances for the last 3 years before the harvest of an organic crop.
Once all the strict standards are met, the product undergoes the organic certificate process. This verifies that the farm the product is produced from follows the regulations set by the NOP. The farm or facility can be located anywhere in the world. If the product is truly organic, it must bear the official USDA organic seal, along with its appropriate label.
Organic products have to contain at least 95% organic materials. Yes, organically grown products may not be 100% organic. If the product is 100% organic, it must be labeled “100 Percent Organic”.
The certification process may vary depending on the country. Like the US, certain regions and countries like the European Union, Canada, and Japan require organic producers to acquire a special certification. Most countries have their own official organic seal. To facilitate organic commodity trade and certification between countries, international certification bodies are starting to get established. These include the members of the Internal Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM).
Why organic foods may not be better?
When talking about organic foods, most often believe them to be safer, taste better, and healthier. Well, the truth is that organic foods are not necessarily better. Nutrients of organically grown foods may not be significantly better or different from the same type of food grown conventionally. Even countless researches showed inconsistent results. One showed organic produce to contain more nutrient, while another showed conventional produce to contain more. This systematic review revealed that organically grown foods do not contain more nutrients than conventionally grown foods. While this study revealed that organic produce contain significantly more vitamin C, iron, magnesium, and phosphorus.
The nutrient of a produce will depend on many factors. These factors include the soil composition, the genetic makeup of the crop, the nutrients available, stage of maturity, and post-harvest handling.
Do they taste better? When it comes to taste, organically grown produce may or may not differ from that of conventional farming. This research conducted in 2002 found that organic orange juice was perceived to taste better than conventional orange juice. But the same research found no difference between organic and conventional milk. This result invalidates the claim that “organic food tastes better”.
Also, organically grown foods are not always safe. Sure pesticide-free produce prevents us from experiencing adverse health effects. This, in addition to increased in food production as a result of controlling insects and weeds. However, some pesticides can actually prevent us from exposure to certain organisms that actually pose a greater danger risk than that of pesticides.
So that’s it. How about you? Do you purchase organic products once in a while? What are your thoughts on them? Do they taste better? Better or not, are you going to keep them in your shopping list? Share it with us by leaving a comment down below.
